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Bacon, Asparagus & Cheddar Quiche: A Guest Post for Orgasmic Chef

Course Brunch
Author Lemons & Anchovies

Ingredients

  • **For the Flaky Pastry**
  • 1 – 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 140 – 175 grams; 145 grams is what I use
  • 7 tablespoons 3½ ounces, 105 grams unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons ice water
  • **For the Filling**
  • 2 slices bacon
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms I used crimini but you can use whatever you’d like
  • ¼ onion chopped
  • 4-5 stalks asparugus sliced in roughly ¼-inch pieces
  • Olive oil for sautéing
  • 3 eggs
  • ⅓ – ½ cup half-n-half regular milk would be fine
  • 2 ounces cheddar cheese I used a Microplane so the cheese grates more finely
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. **To prepare the Crust**
  2. Start with the smaller portion of flour; 145 grams works great for me.
  3. Process the flour, butter and salt in a food processor until the mixture is the texture of coarse crumbs, about 10-15 seconds.
  4. Add the ice water and pulse just until the pastry begins to hold together, about 6 – 10 pulses. Be sure not to let the mixture form into a ball.
  5. Transfer the pastry to a plastic wrap, flatten and form into a disk (Add 1 tablespoon at a time of the remaining flour if the dough seems too sticky). Since I was going to use the dough for two individual quiches, I split the dough in two, formed each into a disk and wrapped separately in plastic wrap to make it easier to roll later.
  6. Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.
  7. **To prepare the Filling**
  8. Cook the bacon pieces in a small pan until crisp.
  9. Transfer to a small plate lined with a paper towel. You can drain the rendered bacon fat or use olive oil to cook the vegetables in the same pan. Your choice.
  10. Sauté the onion over medium-high heat for a minute or two then add the mushrooms and asparagus. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
  11. Cook the veggies until the mushrooms are slightly caramelized, 5-6 minutes.
  12. Using a slotted spoon (to leave behind any liquid/oil remaining in the pan), transfer the cooked veggies to a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and half-and-half. I like a pretty moist quiche so I used ½ cup but you can use ⅓ cup if you prefer a firmer quiche.
  13. **To Par-Bake the Crust**
  14. Once the dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 375°F.
  15. Lightly flour your workspace and roll out each dough thinly. I used mini springform pans that are 4½ inches wide and 1½ inches deep.
  16. Spray the pans with nonstick spray and arrange the dough in the pans. Since I like this crust, I didn’t trim the excess and just tucked the overhang inside the pan (This will also compensate for any shrinkage in the dough).
  17. Pierce the surface of the dough with a fork, line loosely with foil and fill the bottom with pie weights or dried beans.
  18. Par-bake the shells until the edges just start to turn brown, about 10 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 8-10 minutes.
  19. Cool for a few minutes before filling.
  20. **To Fill and Bake**
  21. If you are using springform pans like I did, make sure to wrap the bottom of the pans tightly in foil to prevent the egg/milk mixture from leaking. If you are using another type of tart pan this step is not necessary.
  22. Divide the bacon and veggie mixture between the two pans and arrange evenly on the bottom.
  23. Add most of the cheese to make the second layer, leaving behind just enough to top the quiche.
  24. Divide the egg/milk mixture between the two pans and top with the remaining cheese. If you are using similar springform pans, the filling ingredients will be enough to fill to the top of the par-baked crust. If you are using tart pans that won’t be as deep, you may have a little extra. Just something to keep in mind.
  25. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until the quiche is golden. The inside will still be a little jiggly in the middle but this is okay.
  26. Serve warm or at room temperature.